Clamping strap for blankets



Mec., 4, 1956 J. BERKowlcz ET A1.

CLAMPING STRAP FOR BLANKETS Filed July 20, 1'953 Rxowlcz sy TURCSAN BY RO am AWM/1m United States Patent O CLAD/[PING STRAP FOR BLANKETS Josefine Berkowicz, New York, and Rosy Turcsan, Bronx, N. Y.

Application July 20, 1953, Serial No. 368,964

2 Claims. (Cl. 24--72.5)

This invention relates generally to new and useful improvements in bed clothes holders and, more particularly, to a clamping strap for holding a blanket or like cover against displacement upon an infants crib or bed.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel clamping strap which can be easily and readily attached to the spring of a crib yor the like for retaining the various clothes thereupon yagainst displacement, thus preventing a restless infant from becoming uncovered.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clamping strap, for holding a blanket or the like cover upon a crib, which is resilient and yieldable so that the blanket or other cover may be moved or shifted without becoming detached from the strap and without disturbing the restive movements of the infant.

A further object of the invention is to provide a blanket clamping strap for an infants crib which is neat in appearance and which will when used neither `injure the infant nor mar the crib.

lt is further proposed to provide a blanket clamping strap which is simple and durable and which can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

ln the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an infants crib with a blanket clamping strap embodying one form of the invention in position thereon.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view showing the use of the clamping strap, on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of a blanket clamping strap shown in Fig. l. t

Pig. 4 is a side elevational View of the clampingbuckle in open position.

Fig. 5 is a central sectional view of the buckle in closed position.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of one end of a modified form of clamping strap.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged top plan view of a clamping strap embodying another modified form of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 8 8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the disc plate `of Fig. 7.

In Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, the form of clamping strap 10 is illustrated as used for holding a blanket 11 upon an infants crib 12. Four of such straps 10 are shown, two at each side of the crib.

According to the invention, the clamping strap 10 includes an elongated strap portion 13 of elastic webbing or other suitable resilient material. At one end, the strap portion 13 is turned upon itself to form a loop 14 and held in looped condition by tubular rivets 15. A metal ring member 16 is loosely secured in the loop 14. The

other end of the strap portion 13 is similarly looped as 2,772,460 Patented Dec. 4, 19535 ICC indicated at 17 and riveted by tubular rivets 18 for loosely supporting a clamping buckle or clamp construction 19.

The buckle or clamp construction 19 consists of a wire loop member having one leg Ztl thereof loosely secured in the loop 17 of the strap portion with its other leg being formed into two sections 21 and 22 arranged parallel with the leg 20. Sections 21 and `22 continue into free ends 23 and 24, respectively, extending at right angles to said leg sections `and spaced from each other. A base plate 25 is formed at one end with upwardly extending teeth 26 as viewed in Fig. 4 and at its other end with a flange portion 27 having a central slot 28. Adjacent its flanged end, the plate is formed with oppositely disposed perforated bearings or ear members 29 extending upwardly therefrom. The plate may be reinforced by ribs 3@ therealong. An operating and frontal plate 31 has a ange portion 32 at one end, extending at right angles to the plane of the plate. On opposite sides of said flange portion there are integral pintles 33 pivotally fmounted in the perforations of the bearing members 29 whereby the plate 31 is pivotally connected to the base plate..

A clamping plate 34 is interposed between the base plate 25 and the operating 'and frontal plate 31 and is formed with downwardly extending teeth 35 at one end thereof in opposed relation to the teeth 26 on the base plate. The other end 36 of the intermediate plate 33 is offset from the plane of the plate, forming a slanting shoulder portion 37. A slot 38 extends centrally of the plate 34 yand its shoulder and offset end 36, dividing said offset end into two furcations or end sections 39. The furcations or end sections 39 are formed at their ends, along their outer edges with laterally projecting lugs 40, and at their inner edges with lugs 41 extending lengthwise of the plate. The end sections 39* of plate 34 are disposed underneath the flange portion 32 of the operating plate 31, and a lug 42 projecting from the center of the free edge 43 of the flange portion extends through the slot 38. The edge 43 of the flange portion is adapted to engage the upper surface lof the offset end 36 on both sides of the slot 38 during the pivotal movement of the frontal plate 31 in its closing operation `and is adapted to engage the under surface of said plate 34 adjacent the shoulder portion 37 during its opening operation, the lug 42 on the ange portion riding in the slot 33 during such operations.

The plate members are rigidly fastened to the loop member `and swingable therewith as a unit by positioning the iiange 27 of the base plate 25 between the leg 2t) and sections 21 and 22 of the wire loop and extending the free ends 23 and 24 Aof the loop sections 21 and 22, respectively, inwardly between the base plate 25 and intermediate plate 34 adjacent the bearing portions 29. The lugs 41 on the intermediate plate 34 are passed over the loop sections 21 and 22 and through the slot 28 in the flange 27 where they are interlocked with the walls of the slot so that the leg sections 21 and 22 are clamped between the end sections 39 of the intermediate plate and the base plate 25.

In use, the end of the strap portion 13 having the ring member 16 is looped around the frame 44 of the crib spring and the buckle end of the strap portion slipped through the ring member and pulled tightly around the frame 44. The buckle construction is then opened by manually lifting the operating plate 31 to the position shown in Fig. 4 whereby the intermediate clamping plate 34 is moved by the flange portion 32 of the operating plate 31 away from the base plate 25. The edge of the blanket 11 is then inserted between the base plate 25 and the clamping plate 34 and the frontal and operating plate 31 pressed inwardly so that the edge 43 yof its flange portion 32 rides over the top surface of the furcations or end sections 39 forcing the clamping plate 34 toward the base plate 25 to closed position, as shownA in Fig. 5, whereby the edge of the blank is fastened between the teeth on the base and clamping plates. The blanket is released by merely lifting the operating plate 31 whereby the clamping plate 34 is carried away from the base plate to open position.

In the modied form of strap portion 13' shown in Fig. 6, no ring member is used but instead the strap portion adjacent its end is formed with an opening 45, the edges of which may be reinforced in any suitable manner as indicated `at 46. ln using this modified form of strap portion, the end of the strap portion with the opening 45 is looped around the post of a crib and the buckle end of the strap portion slipped through the opening and pulled tight for fastening said end to the post.

Referring now to the `modification of clamping strap shown in Figs. 7 to 9, inclusive7 it will be seen that in this form the strap portion 13 is provided with a ring 16" at one end. At its other end, a `disc-shaped plate 47 preferably formed of plastic material is pivotally fastened thereto by an eccentric connection including -a tubular eyelet 48 secured to the plate 47 at a point ot center thereon. The eyelet 48 is loosely mounted on a double headed pin 49 fastened to a tubular eyelet 50 secured on the end of the strap portion 13". The disc plate is flattened at opposite points along its periphery and formed with a slot 51 along each flat portion thereby providing an elongated bearing portion or shaft portion SZ. A buckle construction 19 is swingably mounted on each shaft portion 52, said buckle construction being similar to the buckle construction of Fig. 1, without the attaching wire loop member. Herein the flange portion 27 of the base plate `25 is positioned in the slot S1 and projects thereabove where it is interlocked with the clamping plate 34 by means of the lugs 41. The shaft portion 52 of the disc plate 47 is loosely held between the ends of the end sections 39 and the base plate 25 so that the buckle construction can swing thereon.

By reason of this modified form of construction, either of the opposed buckle constructions 19 can be used by merely turning the disc plate 47 so that the length of the clamping strap may readily be changed, which, in addition to the inherent elasticity of the strap portion 13, increases the value and usefulness of the clamping strap.

In all other respects, the form of invention shown in Figs. 7 to 9, inclusive, is similar to that shown in Fig. 1 and similar reference numerals are used to indicate similar parts.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of our invention, it is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the precise constructions herein disclosed `and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim `as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A blanket holder for a childs crib comprising an elongated plastic strap, a ring swingably supported at one end thereof, a clamping device pivotally connected to the opposite end of said strap, said clamping device being mounted for rotation in a plane parallel to the plane of the body of the strap, said clamping device including a substantially circular plate having opposed cutaway flat portions, said plate having elongated slots closely spaced from the fiat portions and being disposed parallel thereto, the pivotal connection between said plate and strap being positioned close to one of said slots, and clamps hingedly connected to the material of the circular plate between the Slots and flat portions thereof and extending through said slots and radially beyond said fiat portions, whereby upon rotation of the circular plate the effective length of the holder may be varied.

2. A blanket holder for a childs crib comprising an elongated plastic strap, a ring swingably supported at one end thereof, `a clamping device pivotally connected to the opposite end of said strap, said clamping device being mounted for rotation in a plane parallel to the plane of the body of the strap, said clamping device including a substantially circular plate having opposed cutaway flat portions, said plate having elongated slots closely spaced from the flat portions and being disposed parallel thereto, the pivotal connection between said plate and strap being positioned close to one of said slots, and clamps hingedly connected to the material of the circular plate between the slots and flat portions thereof and extending through said slots and radially beyond said flat portions, whereby upon rotation of the circular plate the effective length of the holder may be varied, said clamps each having a toothed base plate, a toothed locking plate superposed thereon and hinged thereto, and a hinged frontal plate superposed on said locking plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 9,143 Wardwell Apr. 6, 1880 275,854 Rate Apr. 17, 1883 360,576 Fish Apr. 5, 1887 532,864 Brittain Ian. 22, 1895 595,221 Viser Dec. 7, 1897 1,365,169 Goldberg Ian. 11, 1921 1,780,035 Pace Oct. 28, 1930 1,934,528 Faries Nov. 7. 1933 2,129,487 Bleier Sept. 6, 1938 2,219,991 Hawie Oct. 29, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 49,242 Germany of 1889 128,921 Germany ofV 1902 

